http://www.hostingwhatmatters.com/

Hosting What Matters, Rosemary Beach, FL (2026)

03/28/2023

Reminder: God chose YOU to parent your children. No one else could do it better. These are the babies God chose Justin and I to parent. They are God’s beloved son and daughters, gifted to us to steward. 💗 The greatest assignment God has given me.

I’ve linked some resources in stories today that have been critical in our parenting. Identity is what we teach. If we can direct them to God and that their identity is in Him, everything else falls into place. If you want more details of what I mean, click the link in stories for a blog post or invite some friends over and I’ll be happy to come chat with y’all! 💕

Also, after looking at these pics, it’s become very clear to me that I get shorter by the year!

02/08/2023

Tis’ the season for Little Debbie Mini Heart Cakes on baby cake pedestals 💝

These little cakes are a quick treat to wrap in a cellophane bag and drop with a note on a neighbor’s porch. Especially on a Wednesday when you need a little celebration to keep you going! 🥱

02/07/2023

Y’all know how much I love a place card. And a note of encouragement. 💌 These fortune cookies combine both! They are the perfect table embellishments for this Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day.

They come in a combo pack of 10 from . They are pre-stuffed with sweet sayings like “Believe in yourself!” These are handy and a bargain at $1.25 for 10, but you could easily make some at home with colored paper or use an actual cookie.

I took out the slips of paper that came with them and replaced them with printed special sayings with a name at the end on vellum. I stuffed them with the name hanging out on the end as a placecard.

This is where everyday meals become sacred. I sat with a list of names and prayed. I prayed about the person and then wrote down what encouraging words came to mind. Nothing magical, nothing fancy, just the words God gave me after praying. For example: “Your heart is a wellspring of joy and laughter”

How often do people write your name and something meaningful (that is specific to you) and give it to you? When was the last time you heard what you mean to the world? The table is a great place to say “I love you” in multiple ways. This fortune cookie place card would be a fun way to do just that 🥠

02/02/2023

Offering chilled drinks on the patio this afternoon with natural icicle stir sticks. 🥶😂

01/21/2023

Love these little tin mailboxes for Valentine’s Day. They make great place cards. You can stuff them with compliments or love notes for each guest. Perfect for Valentine’s Day gifts for kids on Valentine’s Day filled with their favorite candy. The best part is that they are $0.98 each! They always sell out fast so grab them and tuck them away for next month. Add a personalized vinyl decal for a very special gift. I’ve linked them in my stories and Valentine highlights for you! 💌

12/21/2022

One of my favorite things to do when setting the table is to leave a little surprise for each guest to take home. It can be a candle, piece of jewelry, framed photo, dessert, or note written specifically for each guest. I find that my guests are so touched by these small gifts of love. It communicates value for each individual. These gifts don’t have to cost much! The few extra minutes spent to tie them with an embellishment and place them at each table setting with be well worth the effort. Each guest will leave your table more encouraged than they arrived 💕

Items pictured can be purchased through .
📸

12/19/2022

Gingerbread Houses are such a fun activity to do this week for adults and kids alike! Here are a few tips to make it a successful experience for all!

-Use a plastic tablecloth and decorate the houses outside or on a hard floor for easy cleanup.

-Glue the houses together with hot glue for stability. Then pipe frosting over the glue for a natural look. There is nothing more frustrating than a house that keeps falling apart because the frosting isn’t keeping everything in place. Do this before guests arrive.

-Use a beverage syringe for piping frosting. It is easy for kids and adults and makes the perfect dot of glue to paste decor on the house. It keeps hands clean as well.

-Use paint trays to hold candy decor. This is a great idea for kids so everyone gets the same amount.

-If you plan for the guests to take their masterpieces home, put the undecorated houses on paper plates. Place a large cellophane bag under their table setting so they can easily wrap up their house to take home. I have a monogrammed ornament with ribbon tied to it that we used as a place card at each table setting. Guests used that to tie their cellophane bag to prepare it to go home with them.

Store bought, premade gingerbread houses are fabulous and beautiful if in budget. Classic gingerbread squares work just fine and save lots of money for a crowd. I hope these tips are helpful to you as you invite friends and family over for some festive activities this week leading up to Christmas! I’ll link some of my favorite products in stories for your reference. Merry, Merry!!🎄🏠🎀

12/18/2022

We kick off Christmas with my family at my sister’s ranch every year 🚜 Recently, during our advent celebration, we asked each person what their favorite Christmas memory was and each of our kids said “Christmas at the Ranch!” They love putting on boots, staying up late with family, eating bbq, sitting outside, and driving the rangers before they get a driver’s license.

When we asked my parents for their favorite Christmas memory, they both shared about a Christmas Eve party my Dad’s parents threw every year. It was both my mom and dad’s favorite memory. They described the food, the guests, what they wore, and that my grandmother made rum punch every year. I’ve never had rum punch, so I surprised them with some at the ranch this year. It was fun to tie some favorite memories together! I’ll share the recipe in stories. 🎄🎀

12/16/2022

If you haven’t had a chance to deck the halls yet, here is a simple hack that will make your home festive for the holidays. 🎄

Grab a few rolls of ribbon from Walmart or the craft store this week. Make some simple bows and hang them on existing objects in your house. Ginger jars, over the mantle, several on a simply lit tree, on a fresh wreath on the front door, on the chandelier. With a few dollars of ribbon and a few handmade bows, your home will look professionally decorated and ready for holiday hosting. 🎀 See stories for a speedy bow tutorial. 👆

12/13/2022

This is my exercise routine. 💪 Lifting giant cheese boards. It’s time to collect charcuterie supplies every time you pop by the store. 🧀 The holidays are full of opportunities to bring or present a board of snacks in between meals.

Here is my recipe for a great, balanced board:

Crackers - you need a vehicle for cheese and toppings. I love to buy an entertaining pack. Holiday themed ones are usually available this time of year. My favorite cracker is the classic water cracker- it compliments any cheese. I grab a gluten free cracker to make sure all guests have an option.

Cheese - a white, sharp cheddar, a soft cheese like triple cream Brie, and a seasonal cheese are a good basic trio. Sometimes I put 5 cheeses on a board- but 3 is a good start!

Accompaniments - maracona almonds or a seasoned nut. Grapes or other fruit- I prefer red for this purpose, you could do pears or apples, but grapes stay looking pretty for longer. Fig jam- a classic. You could do a pepper jelly or another seasonal spread. You can add cocktail pickles, olives, tapenade, pomegranate seeds or anything seasonal for a punch of flavor. My favorite is orange flavored, dried cranberries from Trader Joe’s. They are the perfect flavor combo with cheese. Offer some protein like salami or sausage. Slice it so your guests can easily grab some. Add something unexpected like honeycomb- it’s sooo good!

Skewers, tongs, napkins, knives- make sure you have things available so your guests can grab items easily so that the board stays germ free- it’s flu season, y’all.

Finishing touches - add some sprigs of Rosemary, pomanders, or anything seasonal that decorates the board.

I know many of you are already party hopping! I hope this grocery list of sorts helps you game plan so you stay well fed for all the festivities! I know your guests will thank you for the snack! 🎄

12/13/2022

Santa is coming on the firetruck tonight!! 🎅🏻🚒🎄🚨 It’s one of our little town’s favorite traditions. I usually pull out the hot cocoa cart and we chat with the neighbors while the kids play and wait for Santa. But, these babies don’t keep and we are out at activities tonight. 😢. I’m hoping Santa will hold off and swing by when we return.

Instead of the traditional cart, we put together some hot coco and Santa cookie kits to go for our friends. Sid delivered to the porches and is still hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa and enjoy the candy he leaves behind. Want to see what we put in the treat boxes? I’ll post some pics in stories 👆

12/10/2022

The most important ingredient in hosting in a way that matters is prayer. It’s the beginning and end of everything I host. I pray about who God wants me to serve. Then when I invite them over, I pray about the message they need to hear while in my home. Based on that, I create an atmosphere tailored to my guests.

For example, once I prayed and God brought a family to mind that was in the middle of a big transition. A season of unknown. The message God gave me to share was the word “Beloved.” I strung together truth about the meaning of “beloved” from the Bible as our blessing before the meal. I thought about how the table would look if it was being set for God’s beloved- I used my best china. I told our guests to not bring anything- to just come and enjoy. I did that because I felt that they needed a place of rest. To be loved, served, comforted.

Sometimes, after I’ve prayed it feels right to ask people to bring something. That it will make them feel more comfortable to walk in with something in hand. Or to give a guest a “job” like cutting vegetables or filling water glasses because they might feel a little social anxiety. Or have them do a task that only family would usually do to make them feel as sense of belonging. All of the decisions are based on prayer.

Recently, I listened to a series of podcasts from with guest . It resonated with me so much because Jamie shares 2 simple questions that lead him through life and have allowed him to witness miracles from God. He prays “what do you want me to know, Lord?” And “what do you want me to do?” This is the essence of Hosting What Matters. It’s what leads me to be people focused and host each person in a way that matters to them. I highly recommend listing to that series of podcasts and generally searching Jamie’s name in the podcast app for more. My friends know I’ve been on a Jamie podcast binge and it’s spurred me on in my prayer life. 😆👏

This holiday season we will have unique opportunities to host or be a guest. Invite God to tell you the message these people need to hear and host in a way that matters to them. ❤️

Hosting What Matters

03/28/2023

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01/21/2023

12/21/2022

12/19/2022

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12/16/2022

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